Super Bowl: Andy Reid's players love 'Big Red'

PHOENIX — Andy Reid hasn’t coached the Eagles for 10 years, but his presence is still felt within the organization. As head coach, he helped develop three of the Eagles’ current “Core Four’’ players.

Reid, an offensive genius, has built something with his current team that most franchises envy. Kansas City won Super Bowl LIV three years ago and will be playing for another title on Sunday.

His former team will face his current team in Super Bowl LVII in what’s also been called the Reid Bowl. Kansas City’s players have been very vocal about wanting to win a second one for Reid.

“He’s the reason this thing goes,” tight end Travis Kelce said. “You can bring as many players as you want, but without the leadership of Coach Reid, I just don’t see it happening. I got to get another one for Big Red. I love that guy too much.”

In Philadelphia, Reid was involved in drafting center Jason Kelce (Travis’ older brother), defensive tackle Fletcher Cox and defensive end Brandon Graham, one of the heroes of the Eagles’ Super Bowl LII win.

They’ve been anchors for the Eagles on both sides of the ball and they all speak glowingly of Reid and wish they had gotten to spend more time with him. In the case of Jason Kelce, he wishes he could be more like the affable, self-deprecating Reid.

“Players love playing for him, people gravitate toward him,” Jason Kelce said. “Andy very much ingrains belief in his players, celebrates his guys being themselves and letting their personality show. Andy more than anything infuses belief in you, belief within the team and confidence in his guys.

“I’d love to be the type of leader and man that Andy Reid is.”

Reid, 64, has coached in three NFL organizations since 1992 and has enjoyed nothing but success. He’s endured only three losing seasons in 31 years. Reid is 247-138-1 in 24 years as a head coach and his 21 postseason wins are second only to Bill Belichick.

Reid won a Super Bowl as a position coach with Green Bay, then reached one Super Bowl and made five NFC Championship Game appearances in 14 years leading the Eagles.

The Kansas City run has been remarkable. Reid has guided KC to at least 10 wins in each of the last eight seasons, and his team has hosted the AFC Championship Game a record five straight times. Having Patrick Mahomes certainly helps, but Reid was winning long before Mahomes entered his life.

“It’s a huge testament to Coach Reid, his system, his determination, his creativeness, his ability to call plays and challenge grown men week in and week out,” Travis Kelce said. “You can’t say enough about what that guy is to this organization, especially what he’s been to this offense specifically.”

When Reid was asked how he’s changed as a coach since his first Super Bowl appearance with the Eagles, he wound up making a joke about himself.

“Lost a little more hair, not weight,” said Reid, who famously loves a cheeseburger after wins.

Among the coaches who have influenced him, Reid lists Mike Holmgren, John Madden, Bill Parcells and Dick Vermeil. Reid grew up with the West Coast offense and put his stamp on it. He continues to evolve and become more creative and effective.

Despite trading receiver Tyreek Hill in the offseason, Kansas City led the NFL in total offense and scoring. Mahomes was named MVP for the second time after throwing for 41 touchdowns and an NFL- record 5,250 yards.

Mahomes gives a tremendous amount of credit for his success to Reid, who didn’t rush Mahomes into becoming the starter as a rookie, as so many teams do. Reid let Mahomes watch and learn from Alex Smith (Mahomes’ first start was in the regular-season finale of his rookie year). Reid then gave Mahomes the ball to start the next season; he responded by throwing 50 touchdown passes and being named MVP.

“I understand how lucky I am to be in this organization, with this coach and these players around me,” Mahomes said. “Coach Reid, if I didn’t come [here], I don’t think I’d be sitting in this spot. He got the best out of me. I had to sit for an entire season. He never had any doubts on who I was going to become because he just kept getting me better and better as the season went on. It’s a testament to him because he gets the best out of us every single day.

“Every player that’s played for Coach Reid, they talk so highly of him because he does it the right way. Not only does he get the best out of you on the football field, he gets the best out of you as a person.”

Mahomes would like to repay Reid for all he’s done. The only way the quarterback knows how is to give him more championship hardware and jewelry.

“He’s one of the greatest coaches of all time,” Mahomes said. “All he hadn’t had was a Super Bowl until a few years ago. We want to get him multiple ones. To join that list of coaches that have multiple Super Bowls would just cement his legacy as one of the greatest coaches ever.”

By Al Iannazzone

al.iannazzone@newsday.comAl_Iannazzone

Al Iannazzone covers the Jets for Newsday after spending nearly two decades on the NBA beat with Knicks and Nets.